Data shows that LNG vessels are due to load at sanctioned Russian Terminals and head for Europe and Asia
Shiptracking data revealed on Tuesday that the LNG vessels scheduled to load at two recently sanctioned Russian export facilities are expected to deliver their cargo mainly to Europe, but also to Asia.
The U.S. imposed the most extensive sanctions to date on Friday, targeting Russia's oil revenues and gas revenues. This was done to give Kyiv's new team and Donald Trump leverage to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
Washington has designated two LNG terminals in Portovaya, Vysotsk, and their operators, Gazprom Portovaya SPG and Cryogas Vysotsk, respectively, for sanctions relating to the LNG industry. The sanctions are set to take effect on February 27.
LSEG data show that the Velikiy Novgorod ship is loading at Portovaya, and will depart on Wednesday. Kpler shows the vessel as being bound for Asia. According to Kpler data and LSEG, Velikiy Novgorod brought two shipments last year from Portovaya in Russia to Rudong, Jiangsu Province, China.
Cool Rover was the vessel that loaded at Portovaya at the end December. According to LSEG, it is currently being discharged at Huelva in Spain. Cool Rover brought LNG from Portovaya into Europe in several shipments last year, including Italy and Spain.
The last vessel to arrive at the Vysotsk terminal was the Coral Evolution. It left between January 10-11 and showed LSEG data. The vessel is expected to arrive in Zeebrugge on January 15.
Kpler data shows that Coral Evolution will also load at Vysotsk twice more before sanctions take effect. According to Kpler data, the listed loading dates for Zeebrugge are January 25 and February 12.
Three more vessels will also load in Vysotsk. According to Kpler, Coral Nordic and Coral Fungia are scheduled to load on January 16, while Cool Rover is scheduled to load on January 27 and discharge in Cartagena, Spain.
According to a Rabobank research report, as the Portovaya-Vysotsk plant's capacity is only 2.3 million tonnes per year, the impact of these sanctions on Europe's supply of gas will not be significant.
It said that "Spain and Belgium have imported certain volumes from these terminals, and the U.S. can easily supply Europe with a portion of these lost volumes," if needed.
The U.S. also targeted four LNG tankers in its Friday sanctions, which included 69 vessels belonging to the Russian state-owned shipping firm Sovcomflot: Christophe De Margerie (Pskov), Velikiy Novgorod, and Vostochny Prospect.
Zhoushan Wison Offshore and Marine Co and HongKong Yaqing Shipping Co have also been designated to supply power generation modules for the already sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 Project in Russia.
(source: Reuters)
